Putin’s victory, despite the fraud

And ‘the Russian presidential election winner Vladimir Putin recognizes anomalies and irregularities that occurred during the vote that led him to victory. Putin has again become President of the Russian Federation with 63.3% of the votes, a percentage largely expected by the polls, an advantage beyond the threshold that required round of balloting, an advantage that allows him to quietly say the irregularities that occurred during scrutiny, but also ensures a degree of consensus so wide that he treat the fraud alleged in a charge nearly physiologic system, however, unable to dent the widespread success. Putin, the strength of this calculation, it opens to the opposition and put in order with the complaint of the chief observer of the OECD, which expressly stated the issues of unfairness in the vote count. The hope of the new Russian President, who are the competent bodies to investigate alleged fraud sounds like yet another failure to observe the electoral process and make Russia an incomplete democracy, where the rule of the oligarchic power. However, the admission of Putin in other times would have been unthinkable, large protests in recent days that involved a large number of people indicate that certain behaviors no longer pass over in silence and demonstrate the formation of a collective consciousness, which, although a minority, shakes a world still influenced by the typical power relationship with the Soviet era. Putin, despite the vast majority of votes, regular or not, acquired, will be forced to change the relationship with other social partners, who have renounced the passive acceptance of directives from the streets to bring their case clearly. Certainly the great division of the opposition forces played in his favor, but it is said that over time can not develop an agreement that allows the group to form alternative power that drives Russia for some time. For now, Putin may be limited to brand the disagreement of the other political forces on the fairness of the vote, as a means of political action, which does not respect the outcome of the polls. Politically, then, the move to chair the Central Election Commission, whose function is to investigate the legality of the vote seems more like a cross between provocation and bravado, however, definitely not a good starting point to establish a good relationship with the opposition forces. The maneuver appears to be an old remnant of the Soviet era, from which Putin has never freed altogether. The question is irrelevant, since he sees undermined the basis for the country the opportunity to shake off old habits, never abandoned, which have little to do with democracy. Although this result was expected disappointment that winds among the opponents is remarkable, with the hope of a regular vote could aspire to at least one ballot, from which, however, would hardly come out winners. The apparatus set up by Putin, former KGB colonel, is practically unbeatable for penetration of Russian society, she trusted that at the end of a figure is not completely detached from the Soviet Union, despite the highly unequal distribution of wealth, developed under his previous governments. For most Russians Putin embodies a kind of middle class while embracing the innovations of the new state, has not completely abandoned the old ways, thus representing a sort of guarantee of a transition that will not totally complete. However, it remains the question of the presence of electoral fraud, which at the diplomatic level, affecting the success of the new President, despite the regained power, with these doubts, Putin will not be easy to act as a lead actor, at least in the short term, on the scene International. There is a handicap to underestimate the challenges facing the world and that Putin wants Russia to have a significant return of great power.